Abandoned: Benny, Bluebell and Polo were abandoned by their owners because of a birth defect effecting their ears

These lonely looking rabbits are desperately in a need of new home after their owners abandoned them because they are missing some ears.

Bluebell, Benny and Polo were left in a basket and dumped on a doorstep, simply because they did not have the trademark long ears synonymous with these fluffy pets.

Thought to be a defect from birth Benny and Bluebell are both missing one ear while Polo has none.

Fortunately the trio of sad looking bunnies are now in the safe hands of staff at an RSPCA shelter in Chesterfield.

Deputy manager Gary Taylor said 'We can't say for certain how they lost their ears.

'It could be that the mother was stressed when they were born and chewed them off or they may have been born this way.

'They were abandoned on a doorstep in Chesterfield and we are looking for homes for them.

Homeless: Bluebell, Benny and Polo were dumped by their owner because they did not have typically long ears like this rabbit

'They are young and need plenty of handling but they are smashing rabbits.'

Sadly these abandoned rabbits are one of hundreds of dumped animals taken by the RSPCA everyday.

Last year alone the charity took in 28,162 animals left homeless by their owners - a number which has grown every year for the past five years.

Inspector for the animal welfare charity, Tony Woodley said: 'Although it is tempting to blame the economic situation, we have no real idea of why the number of abandonments is increasing overall.

'It is so frustrating to think that the messages about caring for animals just aren’t getting through to some people.

'People might think they are doing the right thing, leaving their pets where they think they will be found, or they may feel they have no other option.

'Whatever the reason, owners have a legal responsibility to seek help for their animal and if this means making a bit of effort to find a good new home, or just waiting a few days until someone can take the animal in, this is what they must do.'